more sweater progress

 I did a bunch of cleaning this weekend, and I assembled a plant stand I'd had in the box since I bought it. I think it was in early 2024, just before I injured my knee, and first I wasn't able to get down on the floor to work on it, and then I was busy, and then I kind of forgot it until I was cleaning in the dining room and saw where I had tucked it away in a corner. 

I had had a mouse in the house and it was chewing on the leaves of my hibiscus, so I thought maybe putting it up high would move it out of the mouse's path. I THINK they can still climb, but maybe making it harder will help.

I've not seen any new "sign" of any kind for a couple days, so I'm hoping it left on its own, but I did find a spot that I can't move/get into where it could be hiding, and I lined up traps next to the opening in and out, so if one snaps, I'll get it. I really hope it did decide to leave though. (We finally had rain; I think it came in in search of something with water, and that would be hibiscus leaves)

And even if it did just leave, the plant stand looks good and it replaces the extra dining chair/folding tv tray table/other little storage ottoman I had been using to set the plants on. I got some "solar recharging" led tealights and set them on there (they come on at dusk and go off at dawn) to make it a little fancier.

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I also worked on the sweater, I finally got up to the round where you start the moth pattern - this does require more counting and care than the "lice" and crosses pattern, you might see the two groups of four dark stitches; those are the very first row of the bottom of the wings:

 I gave an exam today and needed something portable; I had wanted to do a pair of mitts called "what's on your hands, Watson" (apparently based on a sweater design seen in the Sherlock tv program) but the yarn I bought was the wrong weight (I was remembering the requirement as a dk, and it took a worsted/aran). I had a Paton's worsted in a different color (a sort of coral pink they call "Currant") than the yarn I originally bought (a pretty turquoise), but they are portable and if I don't like them, they could be a gift for someone. (I give another exam Friday, so having a project for it will be good)